This archive report was first published on 11 September 2019.
Published on September 11, 2019, a chaotic scene unfolded at the Kisumu County Assembly as two factions of MCAs clashed over the legitimacy of Speaker Onyango Oloo.
Twenty-nine MCAs had signed a petition calling for Oloo's removal, citing a court ruling that public officers accused of corruption should step aside. The petitioners argued that Oloo's continued leadership compromised the integrity of the assembly.
However, Oloo's allies resisted the move, leading to a heated debate and eventually, a physical altercation. The situation escalated to the point where the deputy speaker was ejected from the chambers, and some MCAs exchanged blows.
Outside the assembly, a group of youth who had been waiting for hours chanted and demonstrated, awaiting the outcome of the legislative proceedings.
Onyango Oloo was arraigned in court on Monday, September 9, 2019, alongside 10 other suspects in the multi-billion LBDA mall case, which involved the misappropriation of Ksh.2.1 billion. He was released on a Ksh.6 million bond.
The incident comes just two years after ODM leader Raila Odinga visited the assembly and urged the members to maintain peace and harmony during their proceedings.
Despite the chaos, Oloo is expected to appear at the assembly on Wednesday to moderate the Appropriation Bill 2019 debate, a move that may further exacerbate the tensions within the House.
